Joe and cousin Dusty were in town! That meant another Black Hills Expedition was in the cards for Lupe. Joe was in the mood for a nice, easy trail hike where the dogs could romp around in the forest. SPHP suggested taking the loop N of Boulder Hill on Flume Trail No. 50. The loop was only a few miles long, and much of it was nearly level. Joe thought that sounded fine.
A short time later, Joe was parking the G6 at the Boulder Hill trailhead (4-22-16, 2:00 PM, upper 70’s °F). Lupe, Dusty, Joe and SPHP all piled out. Although there were maps posted at the trailhead, only the W part of the Flume Trail loop was shown. SPHP didn’t think it mattered. Lupe and SPHP had explored the entire Flume Trail, including the loop, back in 2012. The loop was a piece of cake!
SPHP led everyone SE on Flume Trail No. 50, going almost 0.5 mile up a long steady rise to a saddle area between Boulder Hill (5,331 ft.) to the SW and Storm Hill (5,192 ft.) to the NE. Boulder Hill had been visible from the trailhead, and SPHP had mentioned to Joe that a spur of Flume Trail No. 50 went up to the top. Although Joe hadn’t initially seemed too interested in Boulder Hill, when the junction with the spur trail was reached just over the saddle, Joe asked about it again.
When SPHP said the spur trail to the top was only 0.25 to 0.375 mile long, and the route up involved only minor exposure/scrambling, Joe wanted to try it. Dusty and Lupe were both game, too, of course!
It had been nearly 4 years since Lupe was last here on Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 19 on 5-13-12. SPHP’s memory was less than perfect. The spur trail was more like 0.5 mile long, and SPHP lost it for a while taking a short cut. Nevertheless, the trail was soon found again near the end of a spur road to Boulder Hill off USFS Road No. 358. From here, the scramble up the rocky path to the summit began.
The path started at the SW end of the mountain. It wasn’t long, although it was longer than SPHP remembered. The little bit of scrambling and exposure involved were easily navigated. Only partway up, Joe was already becoming impressed with the views.
The only problem encountered on the way to the summit was a considerable amount of broken glass on the trail, evidence of the existence of a local band of Neanderthals. Fortunately, Lupe and Dusty made it past all the broken glass without incident.
The path approached the summit from the W between two high points roughly equal in elevation. Dusty, Lupe, Joe and SPHP went to check out the S summit area first. The S area is mostly level, open and pretty much solid rock. It features concrete blocks and a concrete step that must have once been part of a previously existing lookout structure.
After looking around the S summit, everyone went over to the N summit area to check it out, too. The N summit area was more wooded, uneven and natural looking. There was another lower high point a little farther N, but no one went over to it. The views were fine from on high.
When Joe and SPHP were done looking at the views, it was time to head down. There was still plenty of time remaining to go around the loop back at Flume Trail No. 50.
Once down off the rocky path to the summit, Lupe, Dusty, Joe and SPHP followed the Flume Trail spur back to the main trail. From the junction, SPHP led everyone E on the main trail, which lost elevation steadily. The trail soon appeared to follow an old road.
The road went past a strange, decaying structure a little way off to the SE in the forest. This proved to be an odd water collection device. A “V” shaped metal roof sloped down to a water trough in the middle. A sign said it was supposed to help provide a source of water for wildlife. Well, maybe for short wildlife. The roof over the trough was only 1.5 feet high. The whole thing was fenced in, neglected and falling apart. Very strange.
Lupe, Dusty, Joe and SPHP returned to the road/trail. Before long it came to a dead end. There was no sign of the Flume Trail continuing beyond the end of the road. Hmm. Mysterious. It was time to backtrack. The spur trail to Boulder Hill was in view again by the time Joe found where SPHP had missed a turn earlier. Finally back on the correct route, everyone headed E again.
Flume Trail No. 50 lost elevation steadily. SPHP kept expecting it to level out and curve around to the N. It didn’t. Finally, part of the old man-made rock foundation that supported the flume back in the early 1880’s came into view on the N side of the valley. The trail didn’t go toward it. Instead it continued E on the S side of the valley.
This just didn’t seem right. Lupe and SPHP left the trail to go over to the man-made rock foundation, hoping to find the loop trail. Joe and Dusty stayed on the main trail, exploring it a little farther E. Lupe and SPHP found no sign of the loop trail, but Joe and Dusty almost immediately came to a map posted along the main trail. The map explained everything.
SPHP had led Lupe, Dusty and Joe completely astray. This was Flume Trail No. 50 alright, but this part of the trail was going to the trail’s E end at Coon Hollow near Rockerville. The loop trail actually turned N way back at the E edge of the Boulder Hill trailhead where the G6 was parked!
Well, that was that! There was nothing to do, but return to the G6. Lupe, Dusty, Joe and SPHP turned around and were back by 5:15 PM. Sure enough, there was the start of the Flume Trail loop, just a few paces E of the trailhead parking lot. From the very start, there had been no reason to head toward Boulder Hill.
Except, of course, that everyone enjoyed Boulder Hill. Joe liked it so much, he proposed coming back the next day to hike the Flume Trail loop and climb Boulder Hill again!
So that’s what happened. The next afternoon, Lupe, Dusty, Joe and SPHP returned to the Boulder Hill trailhead (low 80’s °F). Perhaps to prevent another fiasco to the E, Joe suggested taking the trail W toward the Baker Park area to hike the loop clockwise.
Going W worked just fine. It was a bit warm out, but everyone except Lupe enjoyed the pleasant, easy stroll around the Flume Trail No. 50 loop. Lupe would have liked it, too, but the sound of distant target practice gunfire concerned her. She was in no danger despite her worries. Dusty paid no attention to the gunfire at all.
After completing the loop, everyone hopped back in the G6. Joe still wanted to climb Boulder Hill again. The rest of the gang was in favor, too. By repositioning the G6 0.75 mile farther S up at the high point on USFS Road No. 358, the hiking distance up Boulder Hill was considerably reduced.
Lupe, Dusty, Joe and SPHP followed a rough spur road off No. 358 up to the path at the start of the scramble to the top.
This time, SPHP was better prepared with a couple of plastic grocery bags for collecting broken glass and other Lupe Treasures. Joe helped with the cleanup efforts. There was quite a lot of broken glass not only on the trail, but up on top, too. The cleanup job wasn’t perfect by any means, but at least there weren’t any large, sharp pieces of glass on the trail by the time Joe and SPHP finished.
After a good time picking up broken glass and admiring the views from both the N and S summit areas, it was time to head down again. On the way back, SPHP intended to gather up Lupe Treasures discarded in the ashes of a big campfire ringed by stones. The campfire was in the middle of the turn-around loop at the end of the spur road.
Apparently, it hadn’t been long since the Neanderthals’ last celebration. The campfire ashes were still quite warm! Lupe Treasures were scattered all over the place, way more than fit in two little plastic grocery sacks. Joe and SPHP picked up what could be carried, but far more had to be left behind.
Joe, Dusty, Lupe and SPHP returned to the G6, and headed to grandma’s house. Lupe’s Expedition No. 169 to Boulder Hill twice in two days had been a success! Joe and Dusty proclaimed Boulder Hill one of their favorite short hikes in the Black Hills. Best of all, Lupe had left the mountain in a little better shape than she found it.
Lupe Treasures collected: 5 plastic bottles, 6 glass bottles, 10 aluminum cans, lots of broken glass and other assorted trash.
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